Why Goblet of Fire was disappointing as a movie
So first and foremost: I'm not saying this because I'm just that big a fan of the book. Yes, GoF is my favorite HP book. But, I understand the difference between movies and books, I should, I'm a film major. This doesn't even really work as strictly a film.
What the hell was Steve Kloves thinking when he wrote this script? The movie is hilarious, but did we really need that many comedic scenes? The comedic scenes really only serve if you make the movie as dark as it truly was meant to be. They didn't, they lightened it way up for the kiddies so why do I need to laugh as much as they were trying to get me to? Draco apparently only really exists to be turned into a ferret, which is disappointing. The whole movie can more or less be summed up by: Quidditch Cup, Meet the Schools, Five second class, Task 1, Task 2, Ball, Task 3, Goodbyes. WTF? First of all, did we need to see them leaving and everyone's tear-filled good-byes which, by the way, served no real purpose in the movie? Did the whole Durmstrang and Beauxbatons showing up/feast scene need to be as long as it was? There was too much tournament and not enough of them just being at school, being kids. You never really see the extent of the discord between Ron and Harry.
I can forgive them having to change certain things for the movie. I really, really don't miss the whole SPEW subplot because I can't stand Hermione half the time anyway, and that is just a really annoying storyline. So, I can understand why Winky and Dobby and their involvements in the movie were also cut out along with it. I can buy that Neville would point Harry to the gillyweed and for those of us who read the book we can tell ourselves that Dobby still stole it, he just gave it to Neville. I can accept that we don't see Moody and Hermione helping Harry by trying to help him learn new spells so he can deal with the tournament. I'm a little bitter, but somewhat understanding, that they cut out all the stuff in the labrynith. In the book there were creatures and the such in there, but I can buy that a big ass maze is a challenge. Fluer is no longer a veela? Granted, not a huge thing, but it's like saying Hagrid is big boned, which he might as well be because they cut the part where that information is divulged as well. Hagrid's bloodline, unlike Fluer's, does matter because he's going off to try to get the giants on Dumbledore's side soon.
Things I can't forgive are taking out important pieces of information. Stuff like Percy's estrangement from his family and why. Are they just going to ignore Percy's existence without explanation in the next three movies? How about the fact that Wormtail is now a very willing and dedicated Death Eater to the point where he didn't whine, cry, bitch moan and have to be yelled at thoroughly by Voldemort until he cut off his hand for the ritual to re-corporealize him. Or how about cutting Voldie's little mini-speech about having only one true, faithful follower who was at the school and acting on his behalf all year? When Harry learns that all his suspicions about Snape are brought up and he trusts the man even less than he ever has before from that moment on, but that suspicion is never cast. Funny how now Crouch Jr is simply missing from Azkaban instead of assumed dead. But that is more an annoyance than anything else. Oh, or how about the fact that Crouch never dies?! WTF??? He's supposed to end up killed, or kissed by a dementor or whatever. Now he's just trotting off to prison again probably. Hey, we might even see him again in OotP! *rolls eyes* Oh, and what about the lack of Fudge? Fudge denying Voldie came back is pivotal to the next movie. It is WHY the Order is reestablished.
Other things that irk me, but are somewhat inconsequential:
- Why did the dragon break free and chase Harry all over grounds? I could be mistaken, but I don't think that happened in the books. It comes across as the obligatory flying scene because they cut the world cup so much.
- The Quidditch Cup is practically a fucking drive by! And why are the Weasley's & Co not in the box with the Malfoys? Was it really such a big deal they had to change it? See, I can accept changing things, except when they don't matter enough to bother changing them. It doesn't cost anymore or take up any more time to put them where they are supposed to be.
- Hey, how come we never get to see Bill?! I wanted to see Bill!
- Once again, Fluer's not a veela, so why did Ron blurt out asking her to the ball?
- No weighing of the wands. This means (more consequentially) there's no explanation for Voldie and Harry's wands meeting like that. So the average movie goer is all like "oh, well that's what happens" not "oh, well their wands were brothers." Granted, Harry knows their wands are, but who else remembers that from a movie done four years ago?
- Cedric was killed way too quickly.
- Aw, why couldn't we leave in the bit about Amos bragging how Cedric beat Harry in quidditch last year and Cedric going "Dad, he fell off his broom," and his dad brushing it off with something akin to "It happens to the best of us," and going on about bragging again? I loved that part.
- I almost cried when Harry came back with Cedric's body. Newell completely dropped the ball for me and didn't make anything with Voldemort or the return scene really traumatic and intense enough. I know this is a kids movie and maybe it was done for rating purposes, but the scene wasn't done well and never actually got me to cry. (I balled like a baby when I read it.)
- Sirius only firetalks (which I never pictured like that, I pictured it like flames with a face in view), he never comes by and you see no further correspondence with him and Harry. I suppose when Harry goes all emo at Sirius' death then we are just supposed to assume they got really close when he was in fifth year because there's nothing in fourth year to support it.
- Does Dumbledore have MPD? Since when is he anything other than hauntingly calm and unnervingly ambiguous? And yet here he is, practically jacking Harry against a wall? In what world is this?
- I like how, I think it's Ron, the comment is made about Viktor always in the library but yet nothing is mentioned previous to this about it and it's never mentioned again after.
- So much shit is said in passing that you have to know the book AND pay attention to really pick up half the information they are trying to give you.
- No Hogsmeade
- No classes
- Didn't they actually learn to perform the Unforgiveables in class? Harry threw off Imperius all on his own, and maybe Cruciatus as well. That was part of when Voldie put it on, he was supposed to fight it off a bit.
- Because I'm a nerd, I so wanted to see the stairs to the Gryff girls dorm turn into a slide on them!
- There needed to be a lot more dissention about Harry being picked amongst the Hogwarts students than there was.
- Voldemort wasn't nearly terrifying enough. And where was the sybilance in his speech the book talks about?
- The HP movies have had the same theme song since the first movie. What the hell did they do to it in this one?!
Stuff I did like (because I can only be so cynical before someone shoots me):
- Cho was adorable. As was her accent. I'm so American that the thought of a Scottish Asian girl is beyond me and so I might have a little crush on her voice. They should have put more of her and Harry pining over her in.
- Cedric. That's all, I loved Cedric, he was perfect and SO Puff-ish. You just wanna cuddle him, don't you?
- Viktor was hot. He wasn't supposed to be, but they made him hot and damn was he.
- The twins were SO hilarious! Especially asking out Angelina during study hall. Also, how hot did they get since PoA? Not fair. Mmm, the long, shaggy hair is definitely working to their advantage. Oh and wrestling after they end up bearded! (The beards should have been longer, though.)
- Study hall in general. Especially Harry and Ron getting THWAPED by Snape with the book.
- Snape. He deserves a little spot all his own here.
- Moody was great! More mad than I thought he'd be.
- Bouncing ferret! Bounced ferret in Crabbe's pants and Goyle actually trying to go in after it to get Draco OUT of Crabbe's pants.
- The Yule ball was beautiful!
- How cute were Neville and Ginny?
- How cute was Neville anyway?!
- Dress robes, 'nuff said. :)
- Have I mentioned the Phelps twins yet?! :)
- The film had a great look about it.
- For the first time since the first movie, Hermione actually acts like she does in the books. (Even if she still isn't bushy haired enough.)
I'm going to shut up before someone lynchs me.